[B]ut worse, for him, was what he said was the reaction of his Muslim neighbours when the town was seized by the rebels.

“Women came out on their balconies shouting with joy, and children… did the same. I discovered that our friendship was superficial.”

But Nasrallah’s sister, Antoinette, refused to condemn everyone, saying recent arrivals in the town were to blame.

“There are refugees from Harasta and Douma (in the suburbs of Damascus) that we have taken in, and they are spreading the poison of hatred, especially among the younger generation,” she said.

Another resident, Rasha, recounted how the jihadists had seized her fiance Atef, who belonged to the town’s militia, and brutally murdered him.

“I rang his mobile phone and one of them answered,” she said.

“Good morning, Rashrush,” a voice answered, using her nickname. “We are from the Free Syrian Army. Do you know your fiance was a member of the shabiha (pro-regime militia) who was carrying weapons, and we have slit his throat.”

The man told her Atef had been given the option of converting to Islam, but had refused.